This vessel was originally built as a research vessel and has since been transformed into a passenger vessel reinforced for the icy, polar conditions. The ship is home to comfortable amenities and an excellent staff and crew including nature and historical experts which will keep you informed throughout the voyage.

Superior

Located on Deck 5 with a double bed and a single sofa-bed. A private bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet. A sitting area with a desk, video player and TV, coffee maker, refrigerator, and windows.

Suite

The large Suite has a double bed and a single sofa-bed, a private bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet, a large lounge area with a desk, video player and TV, coffee maker, refrigerator and large forward and side facing windows.

This voyage is an intense nature experience including six to nine hours of hiking per day to various remote areas hardly touched by man. The incredible wilderness and natural beauty will surely take your breath away.

Day 01 : Embarkation

We will board the ship and set sail.

Day 02 : Reinsdyrflya

Reinsdyrflya is the largest of Spitsbergenĺs characteristic coastal plains. It is home to large numbers of the endemic Spitsbergen Reindeer. The hikers will cross the gently undulating terrain of Reinsdyrflya from north to south, a distance of about 18 kilometers. Also, we offer a morning landing on the eastern side of Reinsdyrflya and an afternoon excursion to S°rdalen, where we will meet our hiking comrades and explore the remains of a German weather station from the days of World War II. The evening will include a visit by ship to the large glacier Monacobreen, one of the scenic highlights of northwestern Spitsbergen.

Day 03 : Mosselhalv°ya

Mosselhalv°ya is the northernmost tip of the main island of Spitsbergen. Our guides will have some exciting stories from polar expeditions of the past to tell as we rest on the tundra. The hikers will cross Mosselhalv°ya from Mosselbukta to Sorgfjord, a total distance is roughly 20 kilometers, including some uneven terrain. As an alternative, we will make a shorter excursion in Mosselbukta and later land at Eolusneset in the Sorgfjord.

Day 04 : Nordaustland

Today, we visit the north side of the large, barren island of Nordaustland. High, arctic wildlife is constantly roaming these shorelines, including the two most significant symbols: the polar bear and the walrus. Landing options in these waters are limited and include only the northern side of Lňg°ya, or Low Island. A hike of about 15 kilometers will lead from Purchasneset to the interiors of Lňg°ya and end on the eastern side of the island near a trapperĺs hut from the early twentieth century. We will also offer landings at the same places, the distance between them covered by Zodiac.

Day 05 : Hinlopen Strait-Nordaustland-Palanderbukta

Hinlopen Strait separates the two largest islands of Svalbard, Spitsbergen and Nordaustland. In Augustabukta, we will set foot on Nordaustland and explore this desert-like, yet beautiful environment. The hikers will follow Palanderdalen, an ice-free corridor between two major icecaps of Nordaustland. After about 20 kilometers of polar desert, we will reach Palanderbukta, a smaller fjord surrounded by large icecaps on almost all sides. Both landings, Augustabukta and Palanderbukta, will also be available without the long hike.

Day 06 : Barents°ya-Edge°ya

Barents°ya and Edge°ya have surprisingly rich tundra and a very unique landscape. Sundneset at the southeastern corner of Barents°ya offers lush tundra vegetation and often large numbers of reindeer. Following a river up to a waterfall, the hikers will cover about 17 kilometers to enjoy splendid views. Another option is a shorter landing at Sundneset, including highlights such as rich tundra, a waterfall, and an opportunity to spot reindeer. This will be supplemented with another excursion at Rindedalen on the south side of Barents°ya.

Day 07 : Kapp Lee-Diskobukta

Kapp Lee near the northwest corner of Edge°ya has been a focal point for hunting and scientific expeditions for centuries. There are traces of the ice age in this area consisting of ancient whalebones and driftwood from several thousand years ago. In Diskobukta, a good 20 kilometers southeast, we will find a small canyon with a colony of Kittiwakes.
The opportunity to hike from Kapp Lee to Diskobukta will allow us to appreciate the whole coastline with plentiful driftwood, whalebones, and potential wildlife surprises. As an alternative, it will be possible to land both at Kapp Lee and Diskobukta without the hike.

Day 08 : Mohnbukta-Agardhbukta

The east coast of Spitsbergen is very rarely visited during the summer. In Mohnbukta, the hikers will have the opportunity to reach a mountain plateau with good views of impressive push-moraine walls of the glacier Usherbreen. Some of the Mesozoic sediment layers in this area are very rich in fossils such as ammonites and bivalves. Everybody will be back on board after four to five hours. During midday, the ship will reposition further south to Agardhbukta. Excursion opportunities include mountain walks and a hike inland to a colony of ivory gulls.

Day 09 : AndrÚetangen-Delitsch°ya

AndrÚetangen in southeast Edge°ya was a classic area for trappers of the early twentieth century hunting polar bears. A hike inland of about four hours takes us to the almost complete skeleton of a Bowhead whale that was stranded there when this inland ridge was beach, about 7,000 years ago. In the afternoon, we will all together visit the small island of Delitsch°ya with its rich moss tundra, tranquil small lakes where Arctic Geese gather before their fall migration, and prominent remains from an English whaling station of the seveenth century.

Day 10 : Hornsund

The Hornsund on the west coast of Spitsbergen is surrounded by glaciers and mountains including the Hornsundtind (1,431 meters) and the needle-shaped Bautaen. A half-day hike up to one of the mountains in Brepollen, the innermost part of the Hornsund, will provide spectacular views of the glacier landscape, which can also be explored by Zodiac. In the afternoon, Burgerbukta, located on the northern side of the Hornsund, will make clear why this spot is said to be one of the most beautiful fjords of Spitsbergen. We will then set a course for the Isfjord and Longyearbyen.

Day 11 : Disembarkation

We will disembark the ship in Longyearbyen where you will catch your flight home.